Scenic Shot Pleases In Workout
- Sunday, 19 December 2010 08:15
Dual Group One winner Scenic Shot pleased trainer Dan Morton with a searching track gallop between races at Ascot on Saturday ahead of his return to racing next month.
The winner of the 2009 Doomben Cup and Mackinnon Stakes, Scenic Shot has not raced for 12 months.
After he was unplaced in last year's C B Cox Stakes, Morton decided he needed a long rest.
The trainer was more than pleased with what he saw in the exhibition gallop where Scenic Shot gave galloping companion Sound Barrier a four length start before making up the ground in the straight.
"He had a good blow after his gallop, but I was very happy with his work," Morton told perthracing.com.au.
"Scenic Shot spent six months in the paddock and he is feeling as good as he has for a while.
"A few weeks ago he bucked Troy Turner off coming back from working two strong laps of Ascot so he really is feeling injury free at the moment.
"I'll find a race for him here in mid January and then we will look at suitable options in Melbourne with the Australian Cup his main goal."
Morton will also welcome Scenic Blast back to his stable in the new year after the 2008-09 Horse of the Year's winless sojourn in the United States.
The winner of the 2009 Lightning Stakes-Newmarket Handicap double, Scenic Blast went on to win the King's Stand at Royal Ascot.
He bled during the International Sprint in Hong Kong a year ago and was sent the California where he raced on the anti bleeding medication Lasix and was placed twice at Group Three level.
Scenic Blast entered quarantine in the US earlier this month and will fulfil another three weeks at Sydney's Eastern Creek.
He is expected to be released in mid to late January and Morton plans to prepare him for the major sprint races at the Brisbane winter carnival.
